So your house just burned down, taking everything you hold dear with it. You suspect it was your ex, but you have no proof. Luckily, British forensic scientists have found that cat litter is great for picking up traces of gasoline. Who knew?

As it happens, authorities have been testing what the best way to detect gasoline after a fire with a number of materials, including sand and powdered mashed potatoes. But regular old kitty litter, which contains super-absorbant sodium bentonite, came out as the best for picking up house-burning products. It also does no damage to the crime scene, bettering your chances of laying the blame on your ex.